Some installations consume or use various substances during operation. Some of those substances might need to be combined with other substances immediately prior to use to give them the required characteristics. For example, an engine may be configured to run on diesel or other conventional fuels, but may be adapted also to run on alternative fuels, such as biofuels, kerosene or other military grade fuels. Although those alternative fuels may include sufficient chemical energy for generating the required mechanical energy during combustion, they may lack the lubricity of the more conventional fuels. Many components rely on the natural lubricity of a substance to reduce wear and to enhance operation. For instance, a high-pressure fuel pump may rely on the lubricity of fuel for those same reasons. This shortcoming may be addressed by introducing a minor amount of a lubricant additive to the alternative fuel prior to use.
Two or more substances may be combined long before use, possibly at the point of preparation or perhaps later at the point of delivery. However, it is probable that the two or more substances may separate prior to use and possibly during storage as the most dense substance may settle towards the bottom of the storage tank.
Even if the two substances do not fully separate during storage, there is a concern that the homogeneity of the mixture may diminish over time, particularly if the two substances were mixed in an ineffective manner. The precise proportions of the two substances in the mixture may also be critical to the smooth operation of the installation for which the mixture is intended. It may not be practical to assess the proportions of substances in the mixture immediately before consumption so damage to the components may be inevitable and irreparable.
It is therefore an object of the present disclosure to provide an apparatus that may address the problems outlined above.